Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

Gymnasts from 25 countries to participate in Mikhail Voronin
International Tournament
14.11.2009 15:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 4 Armenian gymnasts will participate in Mikhail
Voronin International Tournament to be held in Moscow from December 15
to 19. The Armenian team includes Vahag Stepanyan, Davit Avetisyan,
Vahan Vardanyan ad Arthur Davtyan under the supervision of chief coach
Arthur Iskandaryan, President of the Gymnastics Federation of Armenia
Elfik Hovhannesyan told Pan.ARMENIAN.Net.

Mikhail Jakovlievitch Voronin (26 March 1945 in Moscow – 22 May 2004)
was one of the world’s strongest Russian gymnasts, who competed for
the USSR in the late 1960s-early 1970s.

Voronin trained at Dynamo in Moscow, becoming the Honored Master of
Sports of the USSR in 1966. He won gold, silver and bronze medals in
the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. He became 1966 World Champion in
the all-around and at rings. Participating in European Championships
in 1967, 1969 and 1971, he became a champion in the all-around (1967,
1969), at rings (1967, 1969, 1971), on parallel bars (1967, 1969) and
on pommel horse in 1967. At the national level Voronin won the USSR
Championships in the all-around (1968-69, 1970-71), at rings (1966-67,
1969-72), on pommel horse (1967, 1969-70), on parallel bars (1967,
1969), on high bar (1971) and in free exercise (1966). He was awarded
the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1969, worked as the
vice-chairman of a department of the Central Council of Dynamo sports
society and as the vice-chairman of the USSR Gymnastics Federation.

ARMENIA’S POLICY TOWARDS JAVAHK – BASED ON COMITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.11.2009 16:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A key issue demanding Armenian authorities’
rapid and effective response is Javahk problem. However, Armenia’s
policy in that regard remains on the level of comity. Such approach
may cause Armenians to quit their historical homeland, Head of
National Neo-conservative movement Edward Abrahamyan reported to
PanARMENIAN.Net. "Given that nature abhors a vacuum, Armenia may soon
have a Turkish-speaking frontier region in the south, with all the
national security threats deriving thereof. There is an opinion that
Armenia’s steps towards resolving the problems of Armenian-populated
region of Javahk can exacerbate Armenian-Georgian relations. But as
a matter of fact, it is Yerevan and Tbilisi’s ignoring attitude that
creates breeding ground for Armenian-Georgian conflicts," Abrahamyan
stressed.

"Georgian authorities believe that such anti-Armenian policy will
eliminate possible threats of losing the region, whereas such
policy has cause-effect relationship with Armenians’ discontent. As
regards Georgia’s policy to Armenia, it bears formal nature. That’s
why Georgian authorities do not pay due attention to the status of
Armenian language in Javahk, possibility of uniting Tsalka region with
Samtskhe-Javakheti and strengthening local self-government bodies. If
Armenian leadership had more far-sighted approach to Javahk issue,
we’d now have quite different position in the region. Turkey’s current
foreign policy would not be so crucial in terms of communication,"
Neo-conservative leader stressed.

ARMENIANS URGED TO REJECT ANKARA-YEREVAN DEAL

Hurriyet Daily News
nians-urged-to-reject-ankara-yerevan-deal-2009-11- 13
Nov 13 2009
Turkey

The head of the largest and most radical Armenian-American group
has urged Armenians throughout the world to reject a historic
reconciliation process between Ankara and Yerevan, saying the deal
would greatly hurt efforts for the recognition of what he termed the
"Armenian genocide."

The Armenians have "a choice to move forward. A choice, very simply,
between survival and surrender," said Ken Hachikian, chairman of the
Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, before a largely
Armenian audience in Pasadena, California, on Thursday.

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed a set of protocols Oct.

10 under which Ankara and Yerevan have planned to establish normal
diplomatic relations and reopen their land border. The deal, if
ratified by the respective countries’ parliaments, would effectively
end decades of hostile relations.

But Armenian-Americans are focusing solely on winning formal U.S.

recognition of the World War I-era killings of their kinsmen in the
Ottoman Empire as "genocide."

"The tavern keepers of our day argue that the path they advocate
[the Ankara-Yerevan normalization process] will lead to peace and
prosperity, when, in reality, it only defers the day when our nation
will pay the full price for surrender," Hachikian said.

Casting doubt on ‘genocide’

"They would have us accept – under foreign pressure – the ‘protocols’
being forced upon the Armenian nation, even though they clearly
threaten Armenia’s security, abandon the rights of all Armenians,
and cast doubt on the Armenian genocide," he said.

"They would have us reduce the Armenian genocide from a crime against
all humanity – one that must be recognized by the American government
and resolved truthfully and justly by the international community and,
of course, by Turkey – to a simple bilateral dispute to be negotiated
between states, states of vastly unequal power," Hachikian said.

He said that the world’s Armenians "must reject retreat. Survival,
not surrender: There is no other choice," he said.

On the occasion of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s upcoming
visit to Washington, the ANCA launched a fresh public campaign to
obtain U.S. recognition of the genocide earlier this week.

Erdogan and U.S. President Barack Obama are scheduled to meet at the
White House on Dec. 7. The Obama administration staunchly supports
the Ankara-Yerevan normalization process.

SHEVKET SHAJDULLIN: THE STATUS OF NATIONAL COMPANY STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT FOR SCR

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.11.2009 13:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "South Caucasus Railways" has proposed the government
of Armenia to give the company the national status, press service of
South Caucasus Railways reports.

"The status of a national transportation company will enable the
enterprise to enter global transportation and logistics organizations,
provide an opportunity for more equitable cooperation with other
railway companies of neighboring countries. This will promote the
interests of Armenia and will help to become more interesting for
investment," General Director of "SCR" Shevket Shajdullin said.

Rapid developments in the South Caucasus, particularly the opening
of borders, the discussed construction of the Iran-Armenia railway
can drastically change the external and internal environment of
the Armenia’s economy, and the role of the railway in economic and
political life.

"With such developments Armenian railway should be considered as a
transit link in the international transport corridors between Europe
and Asia and North-South. It seems realistic that the railroad would
help to bring other spheres of economy to international markets, " Mr.

Shajdullin said.

The question of obtaining the status of a national company was raised
at the meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Commission on Cooperation
between RF Federal Assembly and RA National Assembly on November 9.

Proposal of SCR’s head was verbally approved by parliamentarians.

TURKISH COLONEL ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH ANTI-GOVERNMENT PLOT

Deutsche Presse Agentur
nov 12 2009
Germany

Istanbul – A Turkish colonel was under arrest Thursday in connection
with an alleged military plot to discredit the government in Ankara.

Naval Colonel Dursun Cicek was arrested by a criminal court in Istanbul
late Wednesday after being questioned by prosecutors for several hours.

A Turkish paper last June printed a document bearing Cicek’s signature
that outlined a plan to undermine the government of the liberal
Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The plan included planting moles within the party and stoking
sentiments regarding Armenia and Greece in order to strengthen the
nationalist opposition.

At the time, Ilker Basbug, Turkey’s top general, said the document
did not originate with the military and was part of ‘a campaign to
smear the armed forces.’

‘We believe that this piece of paper has been forged by certain circles
to wear out and smear the Turkish armed forces,’ Basbug said in June.

Colonel Cicek was arrested in June but was released after 18 hours
due to a lack of evidence. His latest arrest comes after an anonymous
military officer provided prosecutors with new information about the
alleged plot.

The Turkish military remains one of Turkey’s most powerful institutions
and sees itself as the ultimate guardian of the country’s secular
system. Turkey has gone through four military coups in the past,
most recently in 1980.

OSCE MUST KEEP ITS KEY ROLE IN RESOLUTION OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT: UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL

armradio.am
13.11.2009 12:14

The OSCE must remain in its key role in the South Caucasus,
especially when it comes to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process,
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency
Relief Coordinator John Holmes believes.

"I think that the defrosting of any protracted negotiations is not
easy, but some revival concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh was noticed
recently and this is making us optimistic," he added.

Holmes expressed support to all the tactics and principles proposed
by OSCE Minsk Group. According to the top UN official, OSCE Minsk
process should come to some fruitarian. "Though this process will
be difficult for both Azerbaijan and Armenia, settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is in the interests of both sides," he said,
Trend News reported.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT REJECTS HERITAGE PARTY’S INITIATIVE ON RECOGNITION OF NKR INDEPENDENCE

ArmInfo
2009-11-12 14:45:00

ArmInfo. The government of Armenia rejected the initiative of Heritage
oppositional party on recognition of the NKR independence at today’s
session. As deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan said,
this initiative is currently inexpedient. To recall, earlier, Heritage
has already advanced a similar initiative, which was also rejected.

ACTIVITY ON CREATION OF ‘GNISHIK’ WILDLIFE RESERVE IN VAYOTS DZOR REGION, ARMENIA, TO START IN 2010

ArmInfo
2009-11-12 18:19:00

ArmInfo. Activity on creation of "Gnishik" reserve in Vayots Dzor
region, Armenia, will start in 2010.

Head of WWF-Armenia Karen Manvelyan told ArmInfo the area of the
reserve will total nearly 15,000 ha. There are 960 types of plants
in the reserve 60 of which are in the Red Book of Armenia and 24
are endemics (6 endemics in Vayots Dzor). In addition, there are 240
types of vertebral in the reserve including 49 were registered in the
Red Book of Armenia and 12 in the Red List of the IUCN. Among these
animals are leopard, moufflon, bezoar goat and grown bear. "Gnishik"
extends up to Noravank embracing gorges, Alpine and subalpine meadows.

There reserve is expected to have a center for moufflon breeding.

Starting the early next year, the area of the future wildlife reserve
will be planned. There are 6 populated areas nearby the reserve,
but the major area belongs to Gnishik community. K. Manvelyan said
a tractor, beehives and seeds have been provided to the village
of Gnishik.

Reserve Gnishik will be created as part of the 4-year program
implemented by the UNDP-GEF. WWF is a co-financier. The project costs
$950,000. WWF will invest nearly $500,000.

ARMENIA WILL HAVE WORSE ECONOMIC INDICES NEXT YEAR, MEMBER OF "ARF" FACTION SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "The "ARF" parliamentary faction has
not yet expressed its position on the 2010 state budget, but the party
is not optimistic and sees no positive tendencies in the state budget
and the economic policy of the government". Ara Nranian, member of the
RA National Assemly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, member of
"ARF" faction, made this statement at the November 10 press conference.

In his words, the government completes the year 2009 at the expense
of foreign funds, and in 2010 it also pins hopes on foreign aid –
on the so-called concession loans, which, as A. Nranian put it, "are
not so concession ones, and everybody knows this". "The government is
trying to take some steps, but it fails to do so, because the levers
are in the hands of others: the steps taken by the government are in
the interests of the oligopol circles, the importers, those persons
and companies that have a monopoly in the country," A. Nranian noted,
adding that next year Armenia will have worse economic indices.

He said the government is marking time until the consequences of the
economic crisis disappear in the world and some economic growth is
recorded, which will affect the Armenian economy as well. Whereas,
according to A. Nranian, the most important step of the government
should be aimed at increasing incomes of the population. "In the
2010 budget, the government neither encouraged the gross demand nor
envisaged indexation of wages and pensions, which will only deteriorate
the economic situation in 2010," A. Nranian underlined.

KARABAKH PRESIDENT, KASPRZYK DISCUSS CURRENT SITUATION

Yerkir
10.11.2009 13:37

Yerevan (Yerkir) – NKR President Bako Sahakyan received
yesterday Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, to discuss issues related to the current situation
on the contact line of the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed
forces, the NKR presidential press service has said.

A scheduled monitoring will be held on Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact
line, near the Horadiz-Fizuli settlements on November 10.